


A Spy's Goodbye

by javajunkie



Category: Agents of SHIELD - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25582603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/javajunkie/pseuds/javajunkie
Summary: Daisy and Daniel leave SHIELD and build a life together.
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson & Daniel Sousa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 12
Kudos: 94





	A Spy's Goodbye

In the end, leaving SHIELD was one of the easiest decisions Daisy made. It had been a particularly difficult year, starting and ending with the Chronicoms and peaking somewhere in the middle when she was literally wiped from existence after Nathaniel Malick killed Jiaying. She only knew the rest from what the others told her. They reunited with Fitz, and the Fitzsimmons braintrust figured out a way to control time travel, saving both Daisy’s mother and herself in the process. After the Chronicoms were defeated, the team dedicated themselves again to the world-saving cause, as there never seemed to be a shortage of threats. However, in her literal second-wind of life, Daisy felt conflicted. She believed in what SHIELD stood for, and believed even more in its team, but she was weary of the cause. She had fought for much of her adult life. She was ready to see what happened when the fighting stopped.

She had left SHIELD before, but her hand had always been forced by fear. All those times, she was running away from something. This time, her mind was clear. And she wasn’t alone.

Daniel sat next to her, looking almost contemporary in his t-shirt and jeans. It had taken her a while to break him out of button-ups and slacks, but they’d gotten there. That night, he was wearing her favorite t-shirt, a soft heather gray with just the right amount of stretch. His bicep pressed through the material as he reached forward and picked up a shot glass of whiskey.

“Are we really going to drink all of these?” he asked, eyeing the collection of shot glasses in front of them on the table.

“Yeah, of course we are,” Daisy said. “It’s a spy’s goodbye.”

“Yeah, I get the concept,” Daniel said. “We did it back at the SSR, too. But, usually it’s a way of saying goodbye covertly.” Daniel glanced over at their friends, who took up the rest of the table. “The entire team is literally at the table with us.”

“We can’t _not_ drink them,” Daisy said, taking back one of the whiskey shots. “Don't worry, I got us covered.”

“Someone is going to have to carry you out of here,” Daniel remarked with a wry grin.

“Why do you think I brought you?”

He laughed, squeezing her leg affectionately underneath the table. They hadn’t said “I love you” yet, but in moments like this, he thought it often, slowly working up the courage to actually say it aloud.

“Are you planning to stay here in New York?” Jemma asked.

“Yeah, at least for now,” Daisy said. “It’s the place we’re most familiar with.”

“What will you do?” Deke asked.

Daisy shrugged, and said, “I don’t really know. I guess that’s the point.” She looked over at Daniel, warmth spreading in her chest that had nothing to do with the whiskey. “We can do whatever we want.”

“I’m really happy for you, Tremors,” Mack said. “You deserve this. And you, too, Sousa.”

“It’ll definitely be a change of pace,” Daniel said. “But, honestly, over the past year, what hasn’t been?”

Mack laughed. “That’s right. Where were you a year ago? 1955?”

“Something like that,” Daniel said. 

“It’ll be different without you both - especially you, Daisy - but we are so happy for you,” Jemma said. “This is an exciting next step for you.”

Daisy nodded, bracing her hands on the table as she stood and said, “I’m going to get a glass of water.”

“I can get it for you,” Daniel said, already beginning to stand.

“No, I’m good,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder to keep him seated. “I’ll be right back.”

May had sensed an undercurrent of sadness coming from Daisy that spiked at Jemma’s words, and she followed Daisy over to the bar. Daisy looked over at her in surprise, but when she saw the worry on her mentor’s face, sighed and said, “I’m fine.”

“You don’t feel fine. I thought you were excited for this. You know, if you’re feeling conflicted-”

“I’m not,” Daisy said. “I know this is the right thing for me, but, you guys have been my family for so long. It feels...I don’t know...it feels really weird to actually be leaving.”

“It’s a big change,” May acknowledged. “But, we’ll always be your family. Whether you’re on the Zephyr or not doesn’t change that.”

Daisy nodded, feeling uncharacteristically weepy, and said, “Thanks, May.”

“You’re welcome. Now, how about we get you something stronger than water.”

“We have practically half a bottle of whiskey on the table,” Daisy said, looking back at the table. She caught Daniel’s attention and he gave her a questioning look, making sure that everything was okay, and she nodded.

“None of those are from me,” May said deliberately. “I think it’s only right that you share a final drink with your S.O.”

Daisy smiled slightly and nodded. “Okay then.” She flagged down the bartender and said, “Two shots of whiskey, please.”

After that night, Daisy and Daniel settled into a comfortable apartment in Brooklyn, living out a remarkably normal life. They adopted a dog and routinely brought him to Winslow’s Veterinary Clinic for checkups, the namesake veterinarian thinking it odd how much Daisy shared with him, but touched all the same. Sometime later, Earth was plunged into yet another calamity, and SHIELD came calling. Daisy fought alongside the team, feeling the rush and adrenaline, but afterwards, she was happy to go back to her apartment in Brooklyn, resuming the normal life that she had grown to value so much. The years that followed were filled with events that were no less monumental for their domesticity. Marriages. Children. There was still loss, but it was the quiet sort. Daisy learned that hurt just as much. 

Sometimes at night, Daisy would gaze up at the sky, wondering where the team was and what they were up to. Daniel learned to read these moments of introspection and let her be alone, knowing that she had given up more than he had when they walked away. But even years later, Daisy didn’t regret it. Leaving SHIELD was still one of the easiest decisions she made, because it had given her and Daniel their life together. She finally learned what happened when the fighting stopped. And it was beautiful.


End file.
